Display apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l L.. R. MCDONALD DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed April 5. 1926 Dec. 28 1926.

ATTORNEY.

Dec. 28', 1926. y .1,611,926

` L. R. MCDONALD DISPLAY APPARATUS Filed Api-i1 3, 1926 2. Sheets-Sheet B INVENTOR. if y 1 (md/OL' J' ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 28, 1926.

UNITED STATES tenez-e PATENT orties.

LESLIE R. MCDONALD, or MONTREAL, armeno, CANADA.

DISPLAY APPARATUS.

Application filed A'prl 3, 1926. Serial No. 99.489.

My invention relates to that class of dis` play apparatuses wherein a plurality of placards are successively brought forward into view position; shifted laterally; carried back to a second view position; and again shifted laterally; so that in the cycle of exhibition of a single placard both the sides may be shown twice in separate positions; and my improvement-s are directed to novel i means l'or automatically and successively shifting the placards, step by step, into their various view positions.

Particular means for carrying out my i1npiovements are illustrated in the acco`mpanying dra-wings, in all the figures of which similar parts are designated by corresponding reference numerals.

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my improved apparatus, part of the casing being broken away to show the interior mechanism and construction; Fig. 2 is a View taken on the line 2*2 of Fig. 1, looking down; Fic. 3 is a view taken on theline 3-3 of 1, looking down, part of the bottom of the Case being broken away to disclose the underlying mechanism, and the ends of the shifting arms being` carried up in full; Fig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking to the right, the top of the case, however, being shown in full instead of broken away as in Fig. 4; Fig. 5 isan elevation of one of my improved placard frames; and Fig. 6 is a view of the same taken as looking down on Fig. 5. Theapparatus is assembled in a suitable case 1, which is provided with display openings in its sides as 2, 3, 4, 5, which may be glazed if desired, in the usual manner, although glass is not shown in the drawing.

Driving means, such as an electric motor 6, is provided for operating the placard shifting mechanism which is shown as e111- bodying a gear wheel 7 meshing with the pinion S on the shaft of the motor, and turning a shaft 9 mounted in suitable bearings in the base of the apparatus, .and carrying a beveled gear 10 meshing with gears 11 and 12 on shafts 13 and 14 `iournalled in the frame of the machine, and carrying, respectively, gears 15 and 16, which project up through the bottom of the case.

A bar 2O is pivoted in the base of the apparatus as at 21; and to one end is pivoted an arm 22 having an upturned or a Hanged end 23 projecting up through a slot in the bottom of the apparatus; While another arm 244is pivoted to the opposite end of the bar 20, also having an upturned end or flange 25, projecting up through a slot in the bottom of the apparatus. A spring 26, fastened in the base of the machine, with its free end bearing against the bar 2() keeps the bar normally in the position shown in Fig.

The shaft 9 carries a worm 3() meshing with worm gear 31 pivoted in the base of the'inachine and carrying a. cam 32 traveling against the bar 20 so as lo vibrate the arm to and fro as the cam revolves.

The placards are carried in suitable frames 35 into which they may be slipped from the top; the frames being preferably made of sheet metal or the like, and having sutiicient rigidity to retain their shape and maintain [he placards in proper, View position, in the operation of the apparatus.

lThe lower edges of the frames 35 are provided with racks 36 adapted to mesh with the gears 14 and 15, so that the frames may be pushed to and fro by the rotation of the gears. a

Springs 37, 38, 39 and 40, or similar devices, are provided to yieldably hold the frames assembled in contact with each other as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4.

In the center of the case, between the two banks of placard frames, is provided a guide p 41, set diagonally'across the case; and similar guides 42, 43 are provided in the ends of the case, to act as guides to the placard frames.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows.

The motor 6, through gears 7 and 8, shaft 9 and gears 10, 11 and 12, turns the shafts 13 and 14 with their gear wheels 15 and 16. The placard frame behind the window 2 being in the position shown in Fig. 1, its rack engages with the gear 16, which draws the placard frame over to the right behind window 3, the frame being pushed past the l springs 37, 38, so as to be snagged by them against the pack of frames behind it. When the frame has reached its proper position behind window 3, it will have traveled beyond the gear wheel 16 and come to rest.

Simultaneously with the movement just described, the frame 35 behind window 4 will have been shifted by the gear wheel 15 over behind window 5, being'slipped past the springs 39 and 40, and thereby held no snugly in position against the pack of frames.

rlfhis movement of the frame results in leaving a vacant space immediately behind Windows 2 and another one behind Window 4, all the frames being out of operative contact with the gears 15 and 16.

The rotation of the cam 31 now swings the bar 20 so as to dranY inward the arms 2Q. and 24, their upraised ends 23 and 25 engaging with the lower edges of the placard frames immediately behind them, so that the whole pack of placard frames will be pushed across the case until the foremost one is arrested by the guide elements of the frame. Asthe foremost frame comes into this position, its rack Will engage with the gear 15 or 16, as the case may b e, which will, in turn, drawthe frame laterally into its next view position as; already described.

It Will be noted that because of the diagonal position of the lframe guides 4 1, 42 and 48, the frames are moved slightly laterally as they are pushed across the case, so as to bring the foremost frames into proper engaging position with the transferring gearsy 15 and 16.

t vvill be understood that the rapidity of movement of the frames may be governed by the speed of the motor; While the interval during which the placards are atrest may be modified by the periodsl o f activity and inactivityy of the cam 32, Which acts to throvv the placard frame into engagement with the shifting gears 15 and 16.

It Will be understood that the mechanism which I have illustrated for carrying my improvements into operation is to be considered as a typical and not an exclusive embodiment of my improvements, for modifications can b e made by the substitution ofv equivalents, and the like, Without departing from the spirit of my invention as explained.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a display apparatus, the combination of a case provided With a plurality of placard chambers, a series of' placard frames, provided With racks on their bottoms, transferably disposed in each chamber, means embodying pinions for engaging the racks and moving a placard frame laterally from the front of each series to the back of another series and out `of engagement with the moving means, means for moving each series as a Whole diagonally across its, chamber to bring the front placard frame into operative engagement with one of the pinions.

2. In a display apparatus, the combination of a case provided With a plurality of placard chambers, a series of placard frames, each provided with a rack on its bottom, transferably disposedin each chamber, a rotatable shaft, intermediate gearing and a pair of pinionsy adapted to mesh with the placard frame racks to successively shift the frames laterally, diagonal guides in each chamber, means for moving each placard frame series as a. whole transversely of its chamber, such means being actuated by the rotatable shaft.

3. In a display apparatus, the combination of a case provided With a plurality of placard chambers, a series of placard frames,

each provided with a rack on its bott0m,.

transferably disposed in each chamber, a rotatable shaft, intermediate gearing and a pair of pini-ons adapted to mesh with the placard frame racks to successively shift the frames laterally, diagonal guides in each chamber, a pivoted bar, a pair of pivoted arms mounted on the bar, and a cam, rotated by the rotatable shaft, for rocking the bar and thereby causing the said arms suecessively to move each placard frame series as a Whole transversely of its chamber.

LESLIE R. MGDONALD. 

